The present invention relates to an equipment cart, and more particularly, to a height-adjustable equipment cart with a detachable table for transporting heavy-equipment to an office for an xe2x80x9con-sitexe2x80x9d demonstration.
There are many height adjustable equipment carts disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,466 to Hanaoka teaches a height-adjust cart having a wheeled lower frame, a scissor-type lift mechanism and a carrier plate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,628 to Ferneau, et al, similarly teaches a cart for conveying and using articles of merchandise, such as a photocopy machine, for xe2x80x9con-sitexe2x80x9d demonstrations, including a wheeled, collapsible framework having a table mounted thereto for loading of the table/framework into a station wagon.
However, the equipment carts provided in the prior art require that the equipment carried thereon be either lifted separately or secured to a collapsible undercarriage frame in order to load/unload the equipment to and from a transport vehicle or a flat surface. The equipment carts having undercarriage frames that collapse underneath a load typically require a transport vehicle to have a larger amount of storage space in order to accommodate the longer footprint of the cart when collapsed. With some sales personnel having to transport demo equipment in their personal vehicles, accommodating such equipment carts with a long footprint is problematic. Furthermore, with some equipment weighing upwards of 250 lbs., in most cases while demonstrating the equipment, the undercarriage frame must remain supporting the equipment. Typically, such undercarriage frames along with the lift mechanism, are unsightly, and thus may distract from the full presentation of the equipment to a potential customer. Moreover, such heavy equipment are too heavy for one person to load and unload from a transport vehicle, thus with these prior art carts a second person is sometimes required, which adds to costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a height-adjustable cart having a removable table for transporting an article of heavy equipment loaded thereon in order to assist a person in the loading/unloading of such heavy equipment to and from a transport vehicle or flat surface separate from the undercarriage frame and lift mechanism.
This need is met by the present invention wherein a height-adjustable cart is provided that includes an undercarriage having a wheeled frame, a double scissor-type lift mechanism and a support frame that is height-adjustable relative to the wheeled frame by the lift mechanism. The wheeled frame includes a pair of extendable rear wheel supports, which are each pivotable between a retracted position and an extended position. While in the retracted position, the wheels are in close proximity to the frame, thereby defining a small cart xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d for compact storage. While in the extended position, the wheels extend transversely away from the frame, thereby widening the cart xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d for stability and for ease of transportation.
The height-adjustable cart further includes a detachable table onto which heavy equipment, for example, a photocopier, may be loaded. The detachable table includes wheels suitable for carrying the weight of the equipment and for transporting the heavy equipment thereon separate from the undercarriage. The support frame is provided with a pair of rails which receive rollers of the detachable table for rolling the table onto and off from the undercarriage. A lock mechanism is provided in each rail to capture the respective roller therein and to prevent removal of the detachable table from the undercarriage until the locking mechanism has been released.
In use, an article of heavy office equipment is loaded onto the detachable table, which is in a locked position on the undercarriage. The entire cart, with the equipment loaded thereon, is wheeled to a transport vehicle, such a station wagon, van, truck or sport utility vehicle. The lift mechanism is then manipulated to adjust the height of the table to a suitable height to permit the table to be detached from the undercarriage and wheeled separately into the transport vehicle. The table is then detached and rolled off by one person into the transport vehicle without lifting either the table or the load. The lift structure is then lowered/compacted and stored in the transport vehicle separately from the table. A reverse procedure is used to remove the table and the equipment thereon from the transport vehicle.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an equipment cart is provided having a height-adjustable wheeled undercarriage, a detachable table having rollers, which rollers are movable on the height-adjustable wheeled undercarriage to assist a person in moving the detachable table when carrying a load to and from the height adjustable undercarriage, and a locking device releasably securing the detachable table to the height-adjustable wheeled undercarriage.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a height-adjustable equipment cart is provided, comprising a detachable table having rollers and an undercarriage including a wheeled frame, a double scissor-type lift mechanism, and a support frame having a pair of support rails and a locking device. The support frame is height-adjustable relative to the wheeled frame by the lift mechanism functionally mounted there between. The pair of support rails receive the rollers of the detachable table, and the locking device releasably secures the detachable table to the undercarriage.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a height-adjustable cart having a removable table for transporting an article of heavy equipment loaded thereon in order to assist a person in the loading/unloading of the heavy equipment to and from a transport vehicle or flat surface separate from the undercarriage frame and lift mechanism.
Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.